Quick Start Instructions
1
PixeLINK PL-A780
Document No.: 04646-01
MACHINE VISION CAMERA
SYSTEM GUIDE
Copyright © 2004 PixeLINK
All Rights Reserved
1 Quick Start Instructions
Install the software you wish to use with the camera prior to connecting the camera
to the computer.
To properly configure the PL-A780 for optimum image quality:
1. Plug in the camera and open the software;
2. Start the preview window.
3. Configure the Region of Interest as required to get the proper field of view.
4. Set the lens, lighting, exposure, and gain so that no areas in the image are saturated.
Auto exposure will provide a good starting point;
5. Adjust the White Balance feature to match the temperature of the light source. The
default is incandescent 3200º Kelvin.
6. Adjust the white point with the Auto White Shading or Auto White Balance feature.
This feature uses the highest intensity areas of the scene to assess the white
shading. Ensure that these areas are white or gray in color. Replace high-intensity
colored objects with a gray or white card and ensure there is little or no saturation
occurring in the image (i.e. gray is better than bright white).
7. Adjust gamma and saturation controls as required to achieve the best image quality.
Note that the PL-A780 camera, like any CMOS device, is subject to the physics of the sensor
design. Fixed Pattern Noise (FPN), Photo Response Non Uniformity (PRNU), stuck pixels,
read noise and thermal noise are an inherent part of the sensor. The effects of the noise vary
with gain and exposure time. Uncorrected, these noise sources can cause significant image
artifacts.
The PL-A780 corrects for these noise artifacts with pixel-by-pixel flat field correction. Internal
to the camera, a gain and offset is applied to each pixel so that the overall sensor has a
uniform response. In addition, stuck pixels are corrected by replacing their value with the
average of the neighboring pixels.
The FFC is factory calibrated at zero gain with a standard diffuse light source and no lens.
While the calibration can be used at other camera settings, it is only valid for the gain and
exposure setting used during the calibration. At other settings, image artifacts may be
apparent.
For the best results, it is strongly
recommended that users of the PL-A780
perform a FFC calibration with the lens and
lighting that will be used in the field.
A software tool is available as part of the PixeLINK Demonstration Application or Developer’s
Kit installation. Instructions on the process are included in the application dialog boxes.
